Caroline Wozniacki insisted she had the game to win a maiden Grand Slam singles title after seeing off French Open champion Francesca Schiavone in a classic Australian Open quarterfinal on Tuesday.

The 20-year-old Dane dug deep to see off an incredible challenge from Schiavone before winning in three tough sets 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

The 30-year-old Schiavone had played the longest women's match in Grand Slam history against Svetlana Kuznetsova on Sunday, but showed no ill-effects as she reeled off some early brilliance against Wozniacki.

But the top-seeded Wozniacki remained calm and slowly but surely wore down the Italian, who looked increasingly fatigued as the match wore on.

Wozniacki faced criticism in the lead-up to the Australian Open after reaching No 1 without winning a Grand Slam.

And she has now come under fire for the manner in which she wins matches, waiting for her opponents to make mistakes rather than making the winners herself.

When it was pointed out that during their match, Schiavone had made 41 winners to Wozniacki's 14, and 46 unforced errors to her 15, Wozniacki was unfazed.

"I just want to know who won the match," she said with a smile. "I think I did that, so, you know, I think there is no question I'm playing to win.

"If my opponent makes 100 winners, it's too good. But if I still win the match, that's the most important thing in the end."

Wozniacki now plays China's Li Na in the semifinals, the woman who beat her in the fourth round in 2010.

"I think Li Na has improved a lot, but I also believe I have," she said.

"I'm just going to go in there, fight for every point, and just see what's going to happen.

"I know that she can play very good tennis, but I can too. It's just a matter of who wins the most important points in that match."

Agence France-Presse

(China Daily 01/26/2011 page24)